The Crystal Lagoon at Epperson will have its grand debut in spring 2018, with Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps headlining the festivities.
Phelps is the global ambassador for Crystal Lagoon Inc., which built its first lagoon in Chile in 2006. The massive swimming pool, with a patented technology to keep its waters crystal clear, was the brainchild of biochemist and real estate developer Fernando Fischmann.
At Epperson, the 7.5-acre lagoon began filling up with approximately 16 million gallons of water, purchased from Pasco County.
With that task completed as of Dec. 26, Epperson, and Metro Development Group, soon will have the distinction of hosting its spring grand opening for the first Crystal Lagoon in North America.
A walkway overlooking the lagoon offers sweeping vistas of the blue waters, landscaping and ongoing construction at Epperson. Signage at an overlook tells the story of Connected City, the surrounding community of Epperson and the Crystal Lagoon.
About 70 homes are occupied at Epperson, according to Greg Singleton, president of Metro Development Group.
More homes are under construction, and additional lots are being prepared for even more homes.
When completed, the lagoon will be the featured centerpiece of the community. There will be swimming, kayaking and paddle-boarding activities. Even, small sailboats will skim over the surface. Residents and guests can hang out at Caribbean-style beaches and cabanas, slip down a waterslide, enjoy an entertainment plaza, join a yoga class or gather for special events.
Epperson may be the first — but four more Crystal Lagoons are on their way to Florida. Metro Development will break ground in spring on a second lagoon at its Southshore Bay community in Hillsborough County.
Another Crystal Lagoon also is planned for Mirada, a master-planned community next to Epperson.
Both Epperson and Mirada are part of the Connected City corridor, which encompasses about 7,800 acres in northeast Pasco County.
At build-out, the entire Connected City will have about 37,000 homes and more than 12 million square feet of commercial space. While Metro Development controls a large swath of Connected City, other developers also are expected to bring forth their proposals.
In addition to about 2,000 homes at Epperson, there will be office and retail, as well as education, medical and technology facilities. Saint Leo University and Tampa General Hospital are partners with Metro Development for state-of-the-art hospitals, schools and research centers.
For information, visit MetroDevelopmentGroup.com.
Published January 3, 2018
